When Parakeets Plundered New York

6 snips

Jul 14, 2023

In this enlightening discussion, Ben Naddaff-Hafrey, a bird enthusiast and host of The Last Archive, shares his journey into birdwatching that began during the pandemic. He delves into the chaotic history of invasive monk parakeets in New York City, revealing how a pet craze turned into a panic. The conversation highlights concerns about population growth, the impact of non-native species on ecosystems, and the absurdity of training parakeets to talk, all while weaving in humor and unexpected insights on environmental policies.

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ANECDOTE

The Parakeet Pet Fad and Its Downfall

In the 1950s, Americans embraced parakeets as exotic pets, partly due to a post-war exotica craze.
However, the birds' constant chatter and other habits led many owners to release them into the wild, sparking concerns.

ANECDOTE

Ben's Bird Awakening

Ben Nadaf-Hafrey's interest in birds began during the pandemic, sparked by listening to birdsong recordings for a podcast episode.
This audio experience led him to appreciate birds as individual creatures, starting with a morning dove on his fire escape.

INSIGHT

Parakeet Panic and Environmentalism

The parakeet panic coincided with the rise of environmentalism, fueled by concerns about human impact on the planet.
The parakeet became a symbol of ecological anxieties, representing the unintended consequences of human actions.

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The Ecology of Invasions by Animals and Plants.

Charles Elton

Charles Elton's "The Ecology of Invasions by Animals and Plants" is a seminal work in invasion biology, published in 1958. It examines the patterns and processes of species invasions, highlighting the ecological and economic impacts of introduced species. Elton's work laid the foundation for much of the subsequent research in this field. The book emphasizes the importance of understanding the characteristics of both invading species and the environments they invade. It remains a highly influential text for ecologists and conservation biologists studying the spread of non-native species.

The Population Bomb

Anne H. Ehrlich

Paul Ehrlich

Published in 1968, 'The Population Bomb' by Paul and Anne Ehrlich predicts catastrophic consequences, including mass starvation and environmental ruin, due to unchecked population growth. The book argues that immediate action is necessary to control population growth to prevent these dire outcomes. Although many of the Ehrlichs' predictions did not come to pass, the book significantly raised awareness about population and environmental issues and influenced public policy in the 1960s and 1970s. The authors emphasize the need for conscious regulation of human numbers and highlight the strain that growing populations place on the natural world[1][4][5].

Road to survival

William Vogt

In 'Road to Survival', William Vogt examines the ecological status of the world, documenting the negative effects of expanding global populations on the environment. He advocates for population control as a necessary measure to prevent environmental disaster, critiquing capitalism and emphasizing the need for sustainable practices. The book was a major inspiration for the modern environmental movement.

The dispossessed

Laura Longmore

Ursula K. Le Guin's "The Dispossessed" is a science fiction novel that explores themes of anarchism, utopianism, and social justice. The story follows Shevek, a physicist who travels between two planets with contrasting social systems: Urras, a capitalist society, and Anarres, an anarchist society. Le Guin's novel is a thought-provoking exploration of different social and political systems and their impact on individual lives. The novel's exploration of freedom, equality, and the challenges of creating a just society continues to resonate with readers today. It's a classic of science fiction.